Trailer axle



April 18, R. C. TOWNSEND TRAILER AXLE y Filed Aug. 4, 195'? Patented Apr. 118, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

The invention relates to Vehicle axles, and particularly to composite axles wherein the spindle is attached to the ends of the axle, and has for its object to provide a device of 5 this character wherein the end of the I-shaped axle is provided with a collar having a plate anchored to the axle flanges and through which collar the axle spindle extends and is anchored to the web of the axle, the collar bracing the spindle.

A further object is to provide the spindle bracing collar with a flanged portion forming parts of the dust collar.

A further object is to provide a mounting for an axle spindle carried by the web of the axle end and comprising a plate carried collar, axially disposed and anchored to the flanges of the axle, thereby allowing the spindle to be properly adjusted inwardly on the web of the axle and anchored on the longitudinal center of the axle as a whole and to be braced from the flanges of the axle.

A f'urther object is to provide an axle spindle attached to the web of an axle end and entirely braced by a U-shaped bracket anchored to the axle flanges on opposite sides thereof and having a sleeve through which the spindle extends.

With the above and other objects in View the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter set forth, shown in the drawing, described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention may be made Within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a top plan view of the axle.

Figure 2 is a view in elevation of one end of the axle.

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectionl view through the axle end, showing the spindle mounting.

Figure 4 is an end view of the axle and spindle.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral I desig- 45 nates the main body of the axle, which is formed from metal and preferably from a conventional form of I-beam. 'Ihe body I has its flanges 2 horizontally disposed, and its web 3 in a vertical plane. In devices of this character, heretofore 50 constructed, the spindles have been of structures, whereby it was necessary to deform some of the flanges Z before attaching the spindle, consequently the axle body would buckle under a heavy load, as it would be materially weakened.

55 Also in these structures there was no bracing of the spindles beyond the axle end or bracing of the ends of the flanges 2.

In the present invention the spindle 4 is preferably formed from an alloy steel, and has its inner end bifurcated at 5, forming arms 6, be- 5 tween which is received the axle web 3. After the spindle 4 has been placed on the longitudinal center line of the axle I arms 6 are welded to the web and around their marginal edges 1. This welding operation may be done according 10 to the amount of spindle it is desired to extend from the axle end. Disposed on the end of the axle is a plate 8, which engages the flanges and web and has angularly disposed arms 9 overlying the upper and lower sides of the axle end, and 15 anchored thereto by rivets III. It will be noted that the axle spindle extends snugly through plate 8 and is braced thereby, however it is further braced by the flanged dust collar II, which extends outwardly on the spindle, hence 2O the axle spindle is braced for a substantial distance from the inner end I2 of the bifurcation 5, thereby preventing excessive bending strain at this point. Collar II and plate 8 distribute the side strains onto the flanges 2 of the axle 25 end and through the web 3, hence it will be seen that the strain is equally distributed over the end of the axle. The spindle is disposed on the longitudinal center of the axle, therefore a rigid structure is provided particularly adapted 30 for use on trailers, and a structure which allows the building up of the metal axle to obtain the maximum strength and at the minimum cost. Plate 8 may be provided with extensions I3 and I4 for brake control mechanisms. 35

From the above it will be seen that an axle spindle mounting is provided which is simple in construction, and one wherein it will not be necessary to deform anges of the body to apply the same.

The invention having been set forth what is claimed as new and useful is:

The combination with an axle I-shaped in cross section, a bifurcated spindle in which the web of the axle is disposed, of means for bracing said spindle, said means comprising a plate engaging the entire end of the axle, an extension sleeve formed integral with said plate and extending outwardly around the spindle and flanges carried by opposite sides of said sleeve and extending inwardly and secured to the flanges of the I-shaped axle on opposite sides of the web thereof.

ROY c. 'rowNsENn 55 

